Samsun

Samsun is situated between two river deltas jutting out into the
Back Sea, north of Turkey. West of the town
the Kizilirmark (the Red River), one of the longest rivers of Anatolia,
produced its fertile delta, East of the town the Yesilirmak (the Green
River), a river that passes some remarkable towns on its way to the sea,
did the same.

People always were attracted by the combination of fertile ground and
shallow waters for a harbor, due to this Samsun has a long history and
its myths go back even longer. According to ancient myths the delta east
of Samsun was the land of the Amazons. The geographer
Strabo (64 BC-23 AD) describes the Amazons as
a people of female warriors. In order to shoot easily with bow and arrow
they had one of their breast removed. Amazon is
derived from the old Greek and means 'without breasts'. The Amazons
used men from neighboring peoples to reproduce themselves and male children
were sent to neighboring peoples. The myths situate the period of the
Amazons
about 1200 BC.

Fiction or non fiction, fact is that the Amazons'
myth spread again under the conquerors in South America. Along world's
biggest river a people of female warriors should live. The female warriors
were never found but the river was named the Amazon.

What we know for sure is that Greek colonists settled in the 6th century
BC and established a flourishing trade with the people of the interior
of Asia Minor.

In the 3rd century BC Samsun came under the rule of the expanding Kingdom
of Pontus. Initially the Kingdom of Pontus
had been a part of the empire of Alexander the
Great that broke up soon after his death in the 4th century BC. At
its zenith the Kingdom of Pontus controlled the
north as well as parts of central Anatolia
and merchant towns on the northern Black
Sea shores.

The Romans took over in 47 BC and were replaced by the Byzantines.
The town was captured by the Seljuks (around 1200
AD), taken over by the Ilhanid Mongols and later became part of a Turkish
principality. Samsun was incorporated in the network of Genoese trading
posts and was taken by the Ottomans in the first
part of the 15th century. Before leaving, the Genoese burnt the town to
the ground.

Under Ottoman rule the land around the town
later mainly produced tobacco. The town was connected to the railway system
in the second half of the 19th century and the tobacco trade flourished.
Its port had fallen prey to a slow decay and despite the tobacco Samsun
became a rather dormant place.

Whatever their size, ports remain important gates for in or exporting
new ideas and renovations. Here, on 19 May 1919, a man stepped ashore who
would create a Turkish state, change a society and even alter a language;
this great man was Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

As a result of choosing the losing side in the First World War the Ottoman
Empire was in shambles. The victorious Entente powers virtually occupied
Istanbul.
The Entente didn't only intended to divide the Empire
but had a division of Anatolia in mind as well.
The Greeks had visions of a new Hellenic Empire, the French had the Hatay
and Syria and desired a part of South-Eastern
Anatolia, to the Italians a southern part of Anatolia (Mediterranean
region) was promised. The British already had Arabia, Palestine, Lebanon,
Jordan and Iraq.

On 15 May 1919 Greeks forces occupied Smyrna (Izmir).
The admiral of the British warships, at anchor offshore, had to order the
Greek commander to restore order. A few days later the Italians landed
in Antalya, taking a piece from their promised
part of Anatolia.

The interior of Anatolia however was beyond
any control (apart from some Entente, mostly British, detachments and officers)
and was in the hands of the remnants of the Ottoman
Forces and gangs of Greek or Turkish brigands.

To put an end to this situation the major Entente power involved (Britain)
asked the weak Ottoman government to restore
law and order in those parts. "If the Ottomans
wouldn't do it, they would" was the threat.

Since the southern rim of Anatolia was more
or less under control by British warships and by competing Greek and Italian
troops, the restoration of law and order had to be carried out from the
north of Anatolia.

Clever manipulating and the help of friends and sympathizers at the
right places, gave him the chance to become Inspector General of virtually
all of the Ottoman forces in Anatolia.
He and his carefully selected staff left Istanbul
aboard an old steamer for Samsun on the evening of 16 May 1919.

The Inspector General who stepped ashore on 19 May 1919 set up his quarters
in the Mintika Palace Hotel. He made the people of Samsun aware of the
Greek and Italian landings, staged mass meetings (however he stayed in
the background) and made, thanks to the excellent telegraph network, fast
connections with the army units in Anatolia.
He started to form links between various nationalists groups. He sent telegrams
of protest to foreign embassies and the War Ministry about British reinforcements
in the area and about British aid to Greek brigand gangs.

In Istanbul the British became alarmed when
they learned that the victor of Gallipoli had
been send as Inspector General and his behavior didn't make it any better.
They urged a recall of the Inspector General. Thanks to friends and sympathizers
in government circles a 'compromise' was worked out; the power of the Inspector
General was curbed, on paper.

However, British and French control officers and the sea with British
warships were uncomfortable and close by to keep on acting freely. After
a week in Samsun Mustafa Kemal and his staff
moved to Havza, about 85 kilometers inland. He did this with the pretext
that he was ill and needed the hot springs of Havza to recover.

Today many visitors will find themselves in Samsun mostly for reasons
of business or for Atatürk starting there
the
War of Independence. The dormant town of
the times of Atatürk became an important
trade centre and has a large modern port. The only thing that didn't change
is the hospitality of Samsun's inhabitants and the growing of the aromatic
Turkish tobacco in the deltas. Few things remind the visitor of the rich
past of this town.

The town is pleasant and its centre, Cumhuriyet Meydani (Square of the
Republic), is near the port. North of Cumhuriyet Meydani (at Atatürk
Bulvari) is the Tourist Information Office. A bit west from the
tourist
information office you'll find the Statue of Atatürk's
Landing. Further West along Atatürk Bulvari,
you'll pass the Buyuk Samsun Hotel and thereafter you'll see the Kultur
Sarayi (Palace of Culture), a building shaped as a ski jump. Events as
concerts and other performances take place here.

East of the tourist office you'll find the Archaeological and Atatürk
Museum. The archaeological part of the museum displays fine ancient artifacts
found in the Samsun area. The Atatürk section
comprises photographs of his life and some personal
belongings (Open from 8:30 till 12:00 and from 14:00 till 17:00).

Following from Cumhuriyet Meydani the road north to the port and turning
right brings you to The Russian Market (Rus Pazari). All kinds of goods
are sold here at a friendly price.

East of Cumhuriyet Meydani you might have a glass of tea, coffee
or something cold in the pleasant Park. In the evening it won't take long
before you have a fine conversation with the friendly locals.

In the eastern side of the park stands an equestrian Statue of Atatürk,
it's big and a bit overdone. The Austrian sculptor Heinz Kriphel worked
three years on it (1928-1931).

It's also possible to have a ride in a two horse drawn carriage (Fayton),
mostly there will be some of those waiting at Cumhuriyet Meydani or in
the shade opposite Atatürk Bulvari. The
Black Sea people love their horses and take a pride in and depend on them.
The horses are well groomed and tenderly cared for, farmer's carriages
are often painted with local motives.

South from Cumhuriyet Meydani you can follow the 19 Mayis Bulvari. It
will take you right away to the Atatürk
(Gazi) Museum. It houses Atatürk's bedroom,
his study and conference room as well some personal belongings.

Nearby is the Pazar Mosque, Samsun's oldest
building, a mosque built by the Ilhanid Mongols
in the 13th century.

On the way to Amasya the road climbs slowly
but steadily and passes over the Karadag Gecidi (Karadag Pass) at an altitude
of 940 meters. The landscape is green and little streams flow beneath the
road.

Havza is a little charming town and is still well known for its
hot springs (56 degrees centigrade). In Havza Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, just before he started The War
of Independence, learned that the area was harassed by Greek gangs
of Pontus state. A mass meeting was staged and
the citizens adopted a policy of resistance. The Sultan's
government in Istanbul sent, under heavy
pressure of the Entente powers, to the Inspector General Mustafa
Kemal in Havza, an order to return to the capital (Istanbul).
Mustafa
Kemal disobeyed this and all succeeding orders. Since British troops
were not far off and had heard what was going on in Havza, Mustafa
Kemal decided to move about 50 kilometers further to Amasya.
In Havza the goal of putting up resistance was reached.

Climate in Samsun in August/September is about
28 centigrade in the day, around 24 at night, rather humid.

There are regular flights to and from Istanbul
(1 hr and 25 minutes), and to and from Ankara
(50 minutes). For up to date information and flight schedule please contact directly with local airlines. From the airport
it's about 3 kilometers to the town's center.

There are also regular buses to all major destinations; Amasya
(two hours), Giresun (four hours) and Sinop
(three hours), also to Istanbul and Ankara. The bus station is about 2 kilometers east of Cumhuriyet
Meydani, in town bus ticket offices can be found south-east of Cumhuriyet
Meydani.